The Church of Half Foods (Formerly Whole Foods Market)

They call themselves Whole Foods but they and John Mackey have embarked upon a quest to be your savior in addition to being your grocer. You want to pay for that, or is your existing church or your own sense of rational propriety enough?

Let me take an aside, because as a libertarian who’s very supportive of free markets, there’s one thing I’ve always noted. You know how with politics and religion, ideology matters so much — to the extent that loathing, hatred, fantasies of murder, dismemberment and general blood lust are all part of the game? Well, when was the last time you did business with a Muslim? How about an atheist? How about an anarchist? How about a democrat, republican, or a commie who goes by different euphemistic names in the U.S.? How many have you traded with that you’d loath and hate in the context of politics or religion?

You don’t know, and why? Because you don’t really care. It’s within a defined context of the value-for-value business transaction. So I’ve always thought that the more free trade and less force and religious moralizing (that leads to force), the more general peacefulness.

An obvious uproar has ensued within the high-fat, low-carb diet community this week as a result of the seemingly sudden decision by the most well-known health food retailer in the world to actively market and promote a low-fat, vegetarian diet in their 289 stores. Whole Foods Market has strongly branded itself as the go-to place for people desiring to make healthier food choices for themselves and their family and they have long offered customers with a variety of dietary choices that ability to select what best meets their specific needs. But all of that has changed now that they are pushing what they are calling their “Health Starts Here” campaign.

Go read the whole damn disgrace, and pay particular attention to the huge effort Jimmy put into getting quotes from more than a dozen respected sources. Thank you, Jimmy.

So now I’m riled up. As a fist step, I popped off a vicious email, and per the promise, I’ll edit out the f-bombs.

Whole Foods:

Here’s my latest tweet:

I will quit spending $100 or so per week @wholefoods and suggest my 60,000 blog readers do likewise #F***wholefoods

I’ll add: #F***johnmackey, and I’m a libertarian and have been a fan for years, for Christ’s sake. I publicly defended him on his stance on health care.

Unique readers are at about 60,000. I was just interviewed by Der Spiegel, Maclean’s, and the Columbia News Service serving 400 newspapers. I have other interviews scheduled. And in case you think I’m fooling, here’s the Der Spiegel run; look for my name:

So, from here out, Whole Foods is my enemy. I’m blogging about it, agitating my readers, and I’ll be sure and mention it in future interviews. I go to Whole Foods to do good food business and not to support an ideology, either way. I’ve always been willing to co-exist with the vegan morons in your stores, because one always felt Whole Foods welcomed and embraced both. Now you’re taking sides, getting preachy…so you can have the f***ing Vegans all to yourself.

You’re dismissed.

So maybe there’s some merit in just getting attention. I’d have not used the language unless I could back it up with credentials, and I think I did. Many retailers are getting wise to the potential thunderstorm of social medial and that was my aim. I’m pissed off. Your mileage may vary and I get it. I’m just always who I am.

Here’s why I’m pissed, out to you. First, perhaps you might question why I’d support Mackey in his public health care proclamations, but not now. Why? Because, just like any other business that lobbies politically or regulatory wise from the board room or from individual board members, it’s not part of the deal when you do business with them. How would you like to go into your nearest auto dealership and be assaulted with literature in support of the UAW? And maybe you like the UAW just fine, but isn’t it a bit out of context with regard to the purpose of your visit, like, maybe, buying a car?

Now, if I’m in a pinch and have to go down to Safeway (insert whatever popular big market exists in your area), would I be surprised at them having some healthfood campaign, however orchestrated or focussed? No, not really, because they’re everyone’s market and kinda any effort towards eating real food — even vegetarian focussed — is tolerable to me, even if it’s not representative of my choices.

But this is way different, because I’m principled. You see, nobody goes to Whole Foods Market unless they are already health and quality conscious and willing to pay extra for extra care. And so, this is not a campaign over general quotidian-median health awareness, it’s an ideological campaign. The getting skinnier, less-vital, more pitifully looking Mackey is pushing a personal, guilt-driven agenda upon you — and is using your own money to do it.

So, John: what the eff are you doing, man? Tryptophan deficiency, or what? Is this payback to the very commies outraged at your public health-care ideas and who’d see your capitalist ass strung up in the village square if they had their way?

I will not stand for it, and neither should you, readers. Have your own values, John, but shoving them in our faces when we just want to trade good values is not what the hell we’re paying you for. Hell, the veg-heads have been putting up with your meat department forever — smart enough to see the big picture.

Then again, they didn’t have pamphlets and books extolling the virtues of meat eating shoved in their faces and shopping bags — nor should they have, and nor should we.

Have you considered politics? Seems like you’re getting adept at pitting one agains the other…

Update: On my twitter this morning, from @WholeFoods:

@rnikoley The goal is not to promote vegetarianism, but the consumption of more vegetables – something we believe everyone can benefit from.

Update 2: An email response from Whole Foods:

Hello Richard,

Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market with your concerns. Our Health Starts Here program is not intended to promote a completely plant based diet. Although the program does offer an option for those who wish to follow a vegan diet, there are also options for those who wish to consume animal products. The Health Starts Here program encourages a higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes for people of all dietary preferences.

We understand that our customers follow a variety of dietary paths. The Health Starts Here program is voluntary and is simply being made available to customers who are interested. Our stores will continue to offer a variety of high quality products such as meat, dairy and seafood. We appreciate your feedback.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Whole foods has always been just outside of my driving range to be convenient, but I’ve often commented on how happy I would be to see one built in my city. Now I don’t have to worry about that angst ever again.

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This is my latest tweet: “Paleo people are seriously overreacting to this Whole Foods announcement. Why does everyone overreact when Whole Foods is involved?”

Left-leaning “universal healthcare” supporters went crazy at the revelation that John Mackey sides more with Republicans on the health care issue, even though he is an out and proud libertarian and anyone who cared to think about it could have guessed his position. Also, there was zero impact on policy. It was just an opinion piece in the WSJ, which is a totally normal place to find pro-market opinion pieces.

Similarly, we already know Mackey is a veg-head, and that he buys all the low-fat arguments. This announcement is about a marketing campaign, NOT about a change in the actual products the store sells. So again, zero real impact. They have a health-conscious consumer base who believes in low-fat diets, so they’re marketing appropriately. The foods you want will still be there.

I hope I don’t sound like a shill for WF here. I don’t shop there, because there are more affordable grocery stores quite close to where I live. And it pains me that John Mackey is a public face for libertarianism, because he’s known for being kind of a dummy. I mean, posting on the internet under an assumed name? So stupid.

(Warning: I might be John Mackey posting under an assumed name!)

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I appreciate the likelihood that WF will continue to retail foods that Paleos want to eat, but to emphasize an opposing dietary philosophy means to de-emphasize ours. That means less focus on partnering with suppliers that bring us what we want, finding the best deals, and without a doubt a weakening of response to our consumer suggestions because we fall out of their favored demographic. The foods we want will slowly diminish in retail space as a function of emphasized marketing of other products. That’s the reality of a business.

WF is now selling meat and saying “don’t buy this! It’s bad for you!” I think that’s a stupid business practice, and to the extent that it works, it will kill their meat business — and hurt the local & grassfed meat producers that have benefited from WF so far. If WF is at all consistent in their message, they’ll STOP retailing foods that paleos want to eat.

Yes, there’s also the effect that WF will have on the rising sustainable meat producers, for which WF is one of the few large outlets. I think for us Paleo/Primal types, it’s really going to be a matter of reaching critical mass (i.e. market relevance), but we may just be better off setting up local networks of meat-shares…perhaps something like a national commodities market that matches locals with producers and co-investors etc.

Yes, I know they are not likely to change the product mix. But I think as someone has already pointed out, this is about the ideological indoctrination of customers and how do you think it would go if they started putting out books and pamphlets encouraging more meat and animal fat eating? Can you imagine the shitstorm? They are demonstrating a preference for their vegetarian and vegan customers in terms of “who’d better,” and I don’t need that so I’ll take my business elsewhere.

Anyway, I’ve just replied to WF’s tweet to me with three tweets saying basically the above.

You’re right, there would be a vegetarian freakout too, and I would say that they were ALSO overreacting.

Let me put it this way: Every day, everywhere I go in life, I see advertisements for things that I don’t want to buy. Even in stores where I’m shopping for things I do want to buy! This doesn’t merit a protest.

Granted I think we can all do better growing some of our own foods, eating local and seasonal produce, and shopping at farmers markets, I think this might be an over-reaction. With all due respect, did you read this on a bad day? Dude, they are simply suggesting we eat more plants. That is far from anti-paleolithic or primal eating.

I’m still shopping there when everything else is out of season here in the northeast. I’ll just avoid the low-fat grain-laden junk…as usual.

Keep up the good work. I appreciate all the info and the occasional rant.

Keep up the good work and

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As long as they still sell the same foods, this doesn’t bother me too much. I’ve never considered Whole Foods a health food story, because the vast majority of foods they sell are patently unhealthy. Cane sugar, for example, is touted as a healthy, natural sugar in most of their soft drinks! WF uses canola oil in most of their store made foods, clearly believing its a healthy oil! And of course, they chase the whole-grains-as-healthy-food meme like a well trained dog(ma). Silly Mackey, grains are for birds, not humans.

Anyway, I will still go because they are close and convenient, and I actually buy very little from them, just grass fed meats, raw goat cheese, some organic veggies, and not much else. Most of the store is a health disaster, not too much better than a Safeway, truth be told.

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It’s really sad. WF is the only store around here that sells local grass fed beef that I can buy when my local farmer is out, and they have decent organic produce. The small health food store nearby doesn’t even carry meat. Regular supermarkets around here are not an option. Funny thing is, I saw pastured lard for sale at WF today for the first time, and that cheered me a little. But I am still angry at WF for this. If WF had implemented a subtle pro-carnivore diet marketing ploy, you can bet that the vegans would have a meltdown and it would be all over the news.

I’ve always been treated well at my local WF. They carry a lot of local stuff. I’ve rarely had a problem with them. But every time I walk down the meat aisle and see that table set up with that bogus book, “The China Study” prominently displayed, I get really pissed off. I’m going to have to email them about this.

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The propaganda applies to employees as well. The employee discount program is graduated from 22 to 30%, depending on BMI, tobacco use, BP, and total & LDL cholesterol. Link: jezebel.com/5456561/weigh-less-pay-less-whole-foods-offers-discount-based-on-bmi
If you’re paleo, odds are that your total and LDL cholesterol won’t make the cutoff, even though your lipid profile may be far more healthy than a vegan’s due to your high HDL, low triglycerides and favorable LDL particles.

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Haha I wouldn’t even make “Bronze” with my TC of 245 and an LDL of 162. Perhaps I should start a business called Paleo Foods, and make employee discounts based on max deadlift, 5km run times, triglyceride #’s, and BF%. More applicable to health than brutally outdated BMI and TC/LDL.

The Whole Foods near me are a joke to begin with and I go there for just 1 thing….coconut oil.

The two closest to me have no meat on their salad bar, although you can occasionally find an egg….otherwise, if you want protein, it must be tofu. 90% of the store is nothing but packaged foods….true, they are made with “organic” ingredients, but who cares? Packaged products, “organic” or not are highly processed junk! The pre-cooked foods area does have meat, mainly chicken, but it’s always swimming in high carb, sweet sauces and/or is breaded. The meat sections are very small any way too expensive.

About the only good thing is in the summer you can sometimes find some really pretty, locally grown berries. As per their listings, the other fruits and vegetables are usually trucked in….and the local ones are often 1 1/2 – 2 times the cost! I live in North Carolina….we have a lot of agriculture here, much of it “organic” and smallish farms. But prices at the local farmer’s market are much better than at Whole Foods.

I really got a kick out of the part of their promotion touting “whole foods”…..does that mean they are going to stop carrying all the packaged and convenience foods?

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You lost me at f***ing. Honestly, if I were on the receiving end of that letter, I’d probably stop reading after the first swear word. Do you really think that email is going to have any effect? It just sounds arrogant and emotional.

I try to not make decisions or take action (verbally or physically) when I’m angry, because I realize it’s a purely emotional, and transient, action. In the same way, if somebody approaches me angrily and swearing, and waving a big stick (ie: “Look at all the people who read my articles that I’m going to tell that you suck!”), I immediately tune them out. “Ah, they have nothing rational to offer, just emotionally driven attacks. They aren’t worth listening to”.

People, of which a company is made up of, make mistakes based on both emotional appeals and/or lack of knowledge (or ignorance). Ignorance is simply lack of knowledge, stupidity is an inability to learn. With the former, it’s the duty of those who hold more knowledge to educate, not belittle. With the latter, well, there’s little hope.

I was a vegetarian (for health reasons I chuckle to myself now over) for 2 years starting when I was 19. I was simply ignorant to the evidence (as I see it now). I put myself as a person on the receiving end of your email and at the time it most likely would have strengthened my resolve, putting me on the defensive.

Love the blog, Richard, but the emotional reactions are a real turn off. I would have thought that you of all people would appreciate the biting attack of cool reason and evidence.

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I think I have a good bead on what my readers want in terms of being different from all the other blogs that persuade and coddle and so on. And if I do say so, going from 20K visits per months to over 100K in a few short months kinda argues that maybe I know a bit more about what I’m doing that you do…

But that’s not really it.

I’m just being myself. You argue I should pretend to be someone different? Do you think I’m lying, that I really want to be the cool, persuasive guy, but I’m just appealing to a lower common denominator?

We need another paleo blog out there doing roughly the same thing as every other paleo blog out there?

I understand the response to the Whole Foods fiasco, but what about this: Instead of boycotting WF, in fact ENCOURAGE more paleo types to shop there but purchase JUST high fat animal products: meat, butter, cream, etc (that and it would look cool in the check out line, freak out the vegans).

Afterall, if only vegetarians shope there, won’t they think that their propoganda is working?

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Sounds good to me. Wish there was a Whole Foods around here! Of course they keep track of what is sold, like any good company. INCREASE the sale of non-veggie foods and somebody is bound to take notice. Combine that with some sort of letter writing campaign, reasoned, rational and evidenced, and maybe the store that everybody loved just a little while ago, will see the light of reason.

I compare this to protesting. It’s easy to go out and walk up and down the street with an angry sign, but real change takes somehow wedging open a crack and making a difference on the inside.

1) I’d rather shop someplace where the proprietor wasn’t explicitly telling me to go away
2) If everyone else is buying less meat, there’d have to be a ton of paleo people to suddenly start shopping there to make up the difference. We’re a minority, and I think we’d have a *far* larger effect if we boycott their animal products.

My thought exactly and I think this is an excellent idea. Mackey acknowledges the power of markets – he’s a fan of Mises – so what better way to show what products are really important to you and what better way to show how to keep you as a customer.

In addition it’s an opportunity to engage their employees in discussion about why Paleo is much healthier than vegan. You can refer them to Lierre Keith’s excellent book, The Vegetarian Myth. Maybe someone needs to send Mackey a copy!

Well Matt, looks like you’re wrong. As I commented earlier, they picked up my tweet which of course linked to this blog.

It is so amusing how so many out there think they know more about what I ought to be doing than I myself do.

I have personally found rage and vulgar language, _when backed by a solid position_, to be essential to everything I am.

Maybe, rather than spending time trying to school me, you ought to give it a shot, eh? But, as I said, only ever use it when you’re on solid ground.

Hey, here’s something that may surprise you. In 15 years with my wife I have probably only raised my voice or used bad language a very, very few times. So even when I’m right, which of course I always am, I don’t always haul out the f-bombs. :)

And lets not forget – swearing is kinda fun when there is a good reason for it. Its been a long time since I drove a fork lift in a warehouse when I was going to school, but I still like to swear at times. A good swearing rant can be as exhilarating as a good belly laugh.

And if you are not going to swear at stupidity once in a while, when can you? Richard, you do not need anyone’s permission, but I say carry on! This battle needs more than one soldier and more than one tactic.

WTF is wrong with chicken?? Now guys in white coats have to make a “better version”.

“Along with pleasing the senses, Hsieh’s soy chicken provides health benefits for consumers. Soy foods contain important nutrition components, some of which help maintain healthy bones and prevent prostate, breast and colorectal cancers. Soy foods also are a good source of essential fatty acids and contain no cholesterol. The FDA has approved a claim that encourages 25 grams of soy protein in a daily diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol to help reduce cholesterol that is at or above moderately high levels.”

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Your reaction is very much warranted! All around us, vegetarianism is being dogmatically rammed down our throats. So yeah, we meaties get a little irate. Just like the vegetarians are passionate about their WOE, those of us that have had our LIVES saved by going against the grain get sick & tired of being preached just the opposite.

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I don’t get why this is surprising people. Every WF I’ve been in has leaned hard towards the veggie side of things. The nearest WF to me is about 22 miles away, and although they have a somewhat decent meat department it’s a bitch to find grass-fed anything. The only reason I go there–and that’s only when I’m in the neighborhood, which isn’t often–is for their store brand coconut milk and for a brand of olive-free caponata (an eggplant/tomato/onion mix, it’s awesome) that I can only find there. I recently joined a local co-op and am getting awesome grass-fed meats, including pork, and tremendous eggs, and I patronize a local (also leaning hard in veggie’s direction) market for my produce. Fuck WF and their crunchy overpaying yuppie ways.

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Reporting from Austin, TX the birthplace and national HQ of Whole Foods, I can say that I am completely surprised by this campaigned. I don’t know when it began but I certainly didn’t notice anything different when I was in the 80,000 sq. ft. home store last Friday. The nearly 100 ft long meat counter was still packed. Russell, my favorite butcher in town, was still there running the show offering to hack up any animal I’d like just about any way I’d want it. And the guys who run the Texas barbeque station across from the meat counters were still there slicing up fatty briskets and pulling apart smoked pork butts. Their line is always the longest. The food areas were serving up the same beef, pork, chicken and fish they’ve served every time I’ve been in there for the past couple of years. Perhaps all that has changed since last Friday? I think I’ll go check it out for myself today and report back.

I’m not here to defend WF. There are much better natural grocers and farmer’s markets in Austin from which to shop. But I also don’t get the blow up over something that I’d not even noticed prior to today.

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And about John Mackey. I worked at a fine dining restaurant for 5 years in the mid 90’s and Mackey was one of our frequent guests for a couple of those years. We were definitely a meat/fat forward restaurant and the chef’s would only begrudgingly offer a vegetarian option on our daily rotating menu. To the waitstaff, Mackey was known as Wacky Mackey. We hated waiting on him. He was a horrible tipper, not particularly friendly and insisted upon creating his on vegetarian dish which absolutely drove the kitchen crazy. He’s been known as a vegetarian wack job around here for as long as I can remember so not much would surprise me coming from him. But in walking through his flagship store, one might find some propaganda, but with a bit of hypocrisy. My wife is always amazed at the amount of meat (that’s what she said) they sell there. It’s literally stacked 3-4 deep by the cut in rows of 10-12. We asked the meat guys (all of them very eager to discuss meat – all cuts) what they do with the meat they don’t sell. They laughed and said, we will sell every bit of this at least twice on most days and four times on the weekends. I think Wacky Mackey is best ignored.

I noticed the marketing campaign in January just after stocking up at WFM on fish oil, pastured butter and cream (we do 90% of our grocery shopping at farmer’s markets now after years of being very faithful WFM shoppers). The marketing was a sea of books on vegetarian cooking, health benefits of vegetarianism, vegetarian weight loss books, etc. Even though I’d already paid for my items, as soon as I spotted ‘The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook,’ I knew I had to buy it right there, right then, to voice my opinion with my wallet. If he continues to ramp this up, I won’t be shopping there at all.

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But Richard, that response was beyond cussing. It was misogynistic to the maximum. Calling anyone a “pussy” implies that possessors of that particular genitalia is somehow an inferior being. By you doing so you, I presume, just offended half of the human race regardless of what they eat.

That you have made a boodle of coin or that you have a successful website has nothing to do with a display of complete lack of class. Another proof of my maxim that wealth is not correlated to class.

I’ve really enjoyed this blog a LOT. But I think, in true libertarian fashion, I will take some of my info gathering elsewhere. I sure wouldn’t send anyone here, now.

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You’re exactly right, FP. I was just over at the gym for a very smokin’ workout ’cause I’m taking a week off and going to Las Vegas tomorrow with the wife, her parents, sis & bro in law.

Anyway…that was the one aspect of this affair I found a bit amusing. While my response to arlojeremy in the heat of the moment and after a Survivor premier event was what it was, as always, I was also satisfied to trash it after a few hours.

Bt the p-word? C’mon. My wife is a 23+ year 5th grade school teacher, now JH academic counselor, and that stuff cracks her up. Misogyny? Ha!

I suppose it goes with the territory that people somehow think they really know me because they read the stuff on my blog. I can understand that, but the fact is it’s just a facet of who I am.

Given that “scaredy cat” and “‘fraidy cat” are pretty common, I wouldn’t be surprised if the pejorative “pussy” came along the same lines and had never had anything to do with female genitals (until people started confusing the two words, that is).

this is ridiculous. it’s obviously possible for a person to be both a pussy and a dick. if I say that you’re both, does that mean I can offend the entire human race with two words? and since animals have sexual organs, what exactly would humans be inferior to? plants?

bravo!… some people need to take a chill pill. words are words and can be taken in the context you choose to interpret. I get more annoyed at the people wanting to complain about the simple use of a few words for perhaps descriptive purposes. Really, its only a sideline to the main event isn’t it? … and that’s about WF ( a company not in Australia, but there are many stores like them) preaching vegetarian ideals to us..

As long as Whole Foods don’t stop selling their carnivore products, I don’t see the problem. I’m more than happy for the majority of shoppers there to be vegetarian. The more vegetarians there are, the easier it is to elbow these weak bodies out of the way when it gets busy. Works for me.

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We don’t have a WH in Fairfield Iowa, where the local whole foods store caters primarily to the large number of people here who are involved with Transcendental Meditation. Because of that Indian/Hindu influence, the store has a no red meat policy. Personally, it doesn’t bother me at all. They have great organic produce, and I simply buy red meat elsewhere. I can get grass-fed red meat up in Iowa City at the Co-Op and from a local Amish farmer. I really can’t begrudge a business for targeting a specific market.

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I have a marketing idea for Whole Paycheck for their idiotic low-fat proselytizing. Put up picture from now and in the past of Dr. Dean Ornish. Look kids, this is what a low-fat diet will do to you over time! I think a pasty and doughy looking troll doll would be a great mascot for their campaign.

Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market with your concerns. Our Health Starts Here program is not intended to promote a completely plant based diet. Although the program does offer an option for those who wish to follow a vegan diet, there are also options for those who wish to consume animal products. The Health Starts Here program encourages a higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes for people of all dietary preferences.

We understand that our customers follow a variety of dietary paths. The Health Starts Here program is voluntary and is simply being made available to customers who are interested. Our stores will continue to offer a variety of high quality products such as meat, dairy and seafood. We appreciate your feedback.

I think John Mackey is in a peculiar place such as myself. I believe in libertarian principles and I also believe in Universal Health care. So that makes me a commie I guess.

Anyway, I think we should always fight against government intervention into our eating habits and that goes for food marketers and so called experts.

I am also frustrated because though I haveend stage kidney disease I am afraid of quitting my job and going on disability, because then I would have to depend on the whims of politicians on whether I can continue to receive life saving treatment or not. I work in a public hospital and I know that people on charity and Medicaid get substandard care.

John Mackey wants to promote his beliefs because he believes in them, but trying to force people to eat a plant based diet seems left leaning to me.

I come to this site everyday because I like it and Richard has a lot of charisma and knowledge. However I will always fight for universal healthcare so everyone who is really sick, (those of us beyond just eating healthy to get better) will have an equal chance for healthcare.

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I don’t care if you think I am a libertarian and I don’t care if I am not one technically. I believe in universal healthcare like I believe in the fire department, mandatory education, the military and road construction.

I don’t believe the government should interfere in my food decisions unless of course I decided to turn my children into Breatharians or something kooky like that.

One of my favorite movies is “Idiocracy ” which to me shows what happens when Corporate America runs everything, which I am definitely against. I say that I am a libertarian because I like the free market concept and I think people should make their own decisions about their health. I also believe in Charter Schools and reducing the deficit (especially if it means reducing the military budget and stop starting wars all over the world).

So if you want to call me a non libertarian or socialist or anything else, fine.

Their vegan pamphlets at their nearest store made me decide to stop shopping there. That, and their animal products were overpriced. I get my grass fed meat from local operations, for the most part. My local big chain store (Publix, in Florida) is carrying grass fed butter and meat now anyway. Screw you, Half Foods.

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I will continue to support WF occasionally, ironically because of the huge investments WF has made in slaughter infrastructure, which is badly needed in this country thanks to a hugely idiotic regulatory regime.

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Just saw this on the WF website (pasted below):
in general, I like to see a financial reward for good health. especially since most healthcare spending “rewards” people who run down their bodies and run up the bills. but it’s pretty ironic that the criteria for reward would go overwhelmingly to folks who go paleo, at the same time as they are recommending conventional wisdom.

Team Member Support and Incentives

To reiterate the company’s commitment to its newest core value and its long-time “Supporting Team Member happiness and excellence” core value, Whole Foods Market’s Health Starts Here initiative also includes two internal programs for Team Members.

* The Team Member Healthy Discount Incentive offers increased discounts for full- and part-time Team Members (enrolled in the company’s medical plan) who do not use nicotine products and satisfy certain healthy biometric criteria for blood pressure, total cholesterol (or LDL) levels and Body Mass Index (BMI). Team Members already receive a 20 percent discount on purchases at Whole Foods Market stores as an employment benefit, but now, those who voluntarily opt to participate in the incentive plan could receive up to an additional 10 percent discount.
* The Total Health Immersion Program offers Team Members intensive health and wellness education programs geared toward sustaining long-term, positive lifestyle changes, including healthy eating, fitness and empowerment. There will be two rounds of immersion programs offered annually at three different locations in the United States. Participating in the immersion program will allow Team Members, who qualify and who are ready to take charge of their own health, to receive more direct support in making positive lifestyle and dietary changes under the guidance of a medical professional, and at no cost to them.

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I believe I’ve hit on a solution to the Whole Foods policy. We kidnap John Mackey and force-feed him bacon for a month. During this time, we would of course provide him with access to a laptop so he could make internet posts about how cute he is.

Seriously though, I wonder how long before this type of Whole Foods policy becomes national policy, with financial repercussions attached, not just friendly government advice. Mrs. Hopey-Change is launching her magnificent fight against childhood obesity, and more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are front and center (big surprise). It baffles me how people can ignore the fact that fat consumption has been falling in the U.S. for 40 years and yet obesity rates are rising. But that may not stop the passage of laws that penalize the consumption or production of animal meat and fat.

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On promoting vegetarianism, I think the underdeveloped aspect of Whole Foods to keep in mind is that it is a commercial and profit-seeking business, which has an evolving customer base. I agree wholeheartedly that its consumers are already seeking high-quality foods that align with their predispositions to making healthy, natural choices. That said, those consumers are equally if not more predisposed to the fads and misunderstood aspects of a “healthy lifestyle.” Vegetarianism is a growing fad, partially because its political implications have a lesser downside than those of the increasingly criticized flaws of the meat industries, particularly with poultry and cattle production. Having grown up with a knowledge of local, natural farming on a small scale, I am personally disgusted by the practices and techniques employed by 90% of meat-producing business. I am also an uncompromising omnivore. My views as a Whole Foods consumer–and Mackey’s–are much less important than whether or not the business of Whole Foods delivers the foods you choose at a cost that you are willing to pay. In a nutshell, they are drawing in marginal consumers so that you (and all WFM consumers) can benefit from the growth of Whole Foods, including that resulting in more competitive prices. That said, I understand your desire to reform the WFM philosophy and marketing campaigns. For that, I refer you back to my original statement that its customer base is constantly evolving, within which types like me and you are certainly present, accounted for, and growing.

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I have read Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, watched the documentary Food Inc., read Loren Cordain’s The Paleo Diet, followed Marks Daily Apple, and if there is anything I’ve learned, it’s to support your local farmers. When you shop at the farmers market, you have no option to not purchase paleolithic foods, grown locally and organically. We need grocery stores like Whole Foods to carry quality meats and vegetables to people who don’t have access to a farmers market year-round (i.e. Minnesota). We also need places like Whole Foods to carry coconut products, palm oil, and the things that are grown in tropical regions. Coffee anyone? If Whole Foods was trying to improve the lives of its customers, they should never ever promote veganism or vegetarianism. If John Mackey wants to be a pigeon-looking vegan, let him. That is his decision. He is not a nutrition expert, but he does sound like he would make a good preacher. Believe the science behind your diet, not the cult or propaganda of a diet, whether it be vegetarianism or paleo.

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Hah! This, of course, is the same form letter I received from WF. Enjoying your take on things very much!
I don’t have a WF in my neck of the woods. Des Moines, Iowa is still too little for them. But my sis in Madison says she hasn’t seen any of this nonsense in her WF- and the meat counter is still going full blast. Hmm…maybe they just can’t see trying to talk Wisconsinites into giving up their sausage and cheese.

Zabeth

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Glad you took the time to write, Elizabeth. Really, this is about not having second-class customer shoved in our faces at every visit. If any of the rest of you would like to email, I added a link today in the body of the post, right above the email I sent. I even added the subject line for you.

my letter got the same canned response within 5 minutes of sending:
“I have been a regular customer since your Whole Foods branch opened in
Honolulu. I have requested in the past that you actually sell more
foods that are “whole” instead of the processed and packaged stuff
that predominates, but I know there are many customers who disagree. I
have been content to circulate around the perimeter of the store to
get my meat, eggs, fish dairy and produce. I have shopped at your
store even when it costs more than alternatives, because I respect the
idea of promoting and selling whole foods. I am extremely disappointed
at the new promotion of veganism. Terms like “plant based” and “more
vegetables” imply that eating those of us who eat a “meat based” or
“more meat” diet are not wanted. Of course it’s a free country and you
are welcome to promote whatever diet you like, but you have turned
away many families who follow a high-fat diet based on whole foods.”

With this Whole Foods incicent, it occurred to me it easy for many large organizations to support the Standard American Diet, but there is none that promotes the Paleo diet/lifestyle. No wonder most people continue down the destructive path. So, the only way for the public to really learn about Paleo is if we can show just how many of us there are whose lives have been improved by going Paleo.

The idea is that if Paleo has improved your health, sign up as a fan. Once we have enough people, eventually we can get recognized as a significant movement. The hope is that we can show the people that Paleo is not just a fad, but a serious and significant change for the better for everyone health.

Any thoughts?

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Thanks for the words of encouragement! Yes, I agree that it should be a non-profit, and I’ll look into collecting a list of respected blogs like this one and other information sources to promote the Paleo concepts.

@WholeFoods: You aren’t promoting a vegetarian diet? Perhaps you should update the first line of this page then: tinyurl.com/d9xtxn

@cognitivedsidnt That special diet page has been there for years and is a guide to help folks who do wish to make that dietary choice.

@WholeFoods: What’s your point? That you have been promoting a veg agenda for years? You clearly say vegetables > meat is indisputable.

Sadly, this is where things are headed it seems. If it were just Whole Foods, that would be one thing. But its not. Even people who seem to have a good message (ie Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver) don’t really provide anything beneficial. Just more “eat your vegetables”…which is being incorporated beautifully and almost seamlessly into the vegan agenda.

The cows have been fattened, and now its time for the slaughter. No more meat for you, bad Americans. Statins and soy from here on out. It’s not working? You aren’t trying hard enough.

I understand Richard’s anger here. The way I see things, this is the 21st century version of “let them eat cake”…but worse…”make them like it.”

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“Even people who seem to have a good message (ie Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver) don’t really provide anything beneficial. Just more “eat your vegetables”…which is being incorporated beautifully and almost seamlessly into the vegan agenda.”

I think this is vastly unfair. Those two are trying to get people to eat *real* food, and just to start thinking about food in general. Yes, they’re peddling the dogma of the health gurus, but is that bad compared to the mainstream alternative? Their target group is obese people who eat processed food almost exclusively. Tons of veggies, lean meat, beans and whole grain is very superior to HFCS, white flour, emulsifier, soy protein and artificial coloring. Right? In the short term you’ll live longer and while living longer you might have the chance of discovering how sat fat isn’t the devil, and how grains aremessing with you.

No it is not unfair, insisting on real food is good, but forgetting the rest of the real good food is a recipe for failure. Vegetables are nearly worthless when not accompagnied with fat, a good part of the nutrients are fat soluble, no fat, no nutrients.

indoctrination into veganism is part of the “New World Order””powers that be” whatever you want ot call it.
I’m not going to live off of beans and fruit and look like a figure skater…I think Sally Fallon could kick Dr Furhmans ass

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I live three blocks from a Whole Foods and shop there fairly regularly. I’ve been there twice since hearing about this, but didn’t see any posters, placards, or books, so I asked.

To a person, the store employees were ignorant of any such change in message. Specifically, the meat counter guys were still looking to hire two more guys and their only news is that the meat counter was shifting to a more local supplier for grass-fed meat as part of an overall plan to “keep it local”.

Either the plan was never as big as the paleo/primal crowd thought it was, or the backlash succeeded in squashing it. I suspect, but do not know, that given our still small and “fring-ish” numbers, this was never a move to “kick out the meat-eaters”.

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I’m thinking more along the lines of boycotting their “Health Starts Here” campaign. If they see sales of meat drop, because of paleo-type people not shopping in their stores, won’t they just mistake that as a sign that their campaign is working? So I’m going to up my purchase of meat at Whole Foods (love their thick-cut pork chops) and just avoid anything tagged as “Health Starts Here”.

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Heh. Didn’t know to just now that Whole Foods had made a ‘moral’ decision to promote a vegetarian life style. Sorry to hear it. You see, I suffer from a rare form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis and also have Microscopic Crohn’s disease as a secondary complication to that monster. Anyone who has this disease knows that the enemy you fight constantly is starch. Yes, starch. If I eat all the whole wheat pastas and whole grain breads that vegetarians tout I can literally die. When I eat pasta and bread my bowels bleed like I have been gut-shot. Because I am constantly fighting severe anemia I MUST eat meat and plenty of red meat. It means the difference between my getting up in the morning and my being bedridden for days. Animals do not seem to have much of problem eating other animals and since I do not count myself any greater or lesser than the least of them I count myself lucky that a no-starch high-protein diet keeps me alive to be with my family one more year. I have never looked to corporate America to gain an understanding of my moral take on life. It seems an oxymoron. I never viewed Whole Foods as anything but a corporation that catered to the various lifestyles put forth by a varied number of off-the-wall nutritionists. I happen to be one of those subsets of our country that needs or chooses to eat in a way that puts me in conflict with the erroneously constructed ‘Food Pyramid’. So, knowing that a corporation will now make it harder for me to find the organic meats and low-carb items that keep me alive, or at the very least pain-bearable is disappointing, but not surprising. As I said, a corporate mind will go as its bottom line goes. If their sales drop and their profit drops you will be surprised how quickly their new campaign disappears. If not then they should begin their new campaign for zoos. I think they should call it the ‘Saving the Souls of Lions’ or ‘Making Bears Bearable’ . No matter how much I dislike having to live off the killing of another creature I have no choice. I am only an animal living amongst animals. I, as well as any other omnivore, do not need saving. I simply need to get up in the morning and not scream from the pain in my joints. I need to be able to leave my house for a day and look at the beauty in the world without having to chart my journey by the number of bathrooms and emergency rooms in the vicinity. Without consuming starch, dried beans, potatoes, rice and grain products you would not know that I had spent the last 10 years in misery and pain being house bound and permanently damaged by harsh and innumerable medications that never helped. One year ago I began eating a starch-free, high-protein diet and I am free to live again. So, I consume the flesh of other animals and I eat a lot of cheese and raw vegetables and if I had to I would kill the animals myself, just like my brother the wolf and the fox, the bear and the lion. If Whole Foods has a problem with that I can very easily spend my grocery money on the net, which has so far not looked into my soul and found me needing spiritual realignment. Linda Lee

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you people are so dense. WF is not saying that you “should not buy meat.” They HAVE meat options available in the Our Health Starts Here Program. They are just promoting more vegetables in peoples diet (along with meat, if you so choose.) With all of the problems in the world, this is what you choose to bark about? Get a purpose, folks.

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Trackbacks

Whole foods has always been just outside of my driving range to be convenient, but I’ve often commented on how happy I would be to see one built in my city. Now I don’t have to worry about that angst ever again.

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This is my latest tweet: “Paleo people are seriously overreacting to this Whole Foods announcement. Why does everyone overreact when Whole Foods is involved?”

Left-leaning “universal healthcare” supporters went crazy at the revelation that John Mackey sides more with Republicans on the health care issue, even though he is an out and proud libertarian and anyone who cared to think about it could have guessed his position. Also, there was zero impact on policy. It was just an opinion piece in the WSJ, which is a totally normal place to find pro-market opinion pieces.

Similarly, we already know Mackey is a veg-head, and that he buys all the low-fat arguments. This announcement is about a marketing campaign, NOT about a change in the actual products the store sells. So again, zero real impact. They have a health-conscious consumer base who believes in low-fat diets, so they’re marketing appropriately. The foods you want will still be there.

I hope I don’t sound like a shill for WF here. I don’t shop there, because there are more affordable grocery stores quite close to where I live. And it pains me that John Mackey is a public face for libertarianism, because he’s known for being kind of a dummy. I mean, posting on the internet under an assumed name? So stupid.

(Warning: I might be John Mackey posting under an assumed name!)

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I appreciate the likelihood that WF will continue to retail foods that Paleos want to eat, but to emphasize an opposing dietary philosophy means to de-emphasize ours. That means less focus on partnering with suppliers that bring us what we want, finding the best deals, and without a doubt a weakening of response to our consumer suggestions because we fall out of their favored demographic. The foods we want will slowly diminish in retail space as a function of emphasized marketing of other products. That’s the reality of a business.

WF is now selling meat and saying “don’t buy this! It’s bad for you!” I think that’s a stupid business practice, and to the extent that it works, it will kill their meat business — and hurt the local & grassfed meat producers that have benefited from WF so far. If WF is at all consistent in their message, they’ll STOP retailing foods that paleos want to eat.

Yes, there’s also the effect that WF will have on the rising sustainable meat producers, for which WF is one of the few large outlets. I think for us Paleo/Primal types, it’s really going to be a matter of reaching critical mass (i.e. market relevance), but we may just be better off setting up local networks of meat-shares…perhaps something like a national commodities market that matches locals with producers and co-investors etc.

Yes, I know they are not likely to change the product mix. But I think as someone has already pointed out, this is about the ideological indoctrination of customers and how do you think it would go if they started putting out books and pamphlets encouraging more meat and animal fat eating? Can you imagine the shitstorm? They are demonstrating a preference for their vegetarian and vegan customers in terms of “who’d better,” and I don’t need that so I’ll take my business elsewhere.

Anyway, I’ve just replied to WF’s tweet to me with three tweets saying basically the above.

You’re right, there would be a vegetarian freakout too, and I would say that they were ALSO overreacting.

Let me put it this way: Every day, everywhere I go in life, I see advertisements for things that I don’t want to buy. Even in stores where I’m shopping for things I do want to buy! This doesn’t merit a protest.

Granted I think we can all do better growing some of our own foods, eating local and seasonal produce, and shopping at farmers markets, I think this might be an over-reaction. With all due respect, did you read this on a bad day? Dude, they are simply suggesting we eat more plants. That is far from anti-paleolithic or primal eating.

I’m still shopping there when everything else is out of season here in the northeast. I’ll just avoid the low-fat grain-laden junk…as usual.

Keep up the good work. I appreciate all the info and the occasional rant.

Keep up the good work and

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As long as they still sell the same foods, this doesn’t bother me too much. I’ve never considered Whole Foods a health food story, because the vast majority of foods they sell are patently unhealthy. Cane sugar, for example, is touted as a healthy, natural sugar in most of their soft drinks! WF uses canola oil in most of their store made foods, clearly believing its a healthy oil! And of course, they chase the whole-grains-as-healthy-food meme like a well trained dog(ma). Silly Mackey, grains are for birds, not humans.

Anyway, I will still go because they are close and convenient, and I actually buy very little from them, just grass fed meats, raw goat cheese, some organic veggies, and not much else. Most of the store is a health disaster, not too much better than a Safeway, truth be told.

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It’s really sad. WF is the only store around here that sells local grass fed beef that I can buy when my local farmer is out, and they have decent organic produce. The small health food store nearby doesn’t even carry meat. Regular supermarkets around here are not an option. Funny thing is, I saw pastured lard for sale at WF today for the first time, and that cheered me a little. But I am still angry at WF for this. If WF had implemented a subtle pro-carnivore diet marketing ploy, you can bet that the vegans would have a meltdown and it would be all over the news.

I’ve always been treated well at my local WF. They carry a lot of local stuff. I’ve rarely had a problem with them. But every time I walk down the meat aisle and see that table set up with that bogus book, “The China Study” prominently displayed, I get really pissed off. I’m going to have to email them about this.

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The propaganda applies to employees as well. The employee discount program is graduated from 22 to 30%, depending on BMI, tobacco use, BP, and total & LDL cholesterol. Link: jezebel.com/5456561/weigh-less-pay-less-whole-foods-offers-discount-based-on-bmi
If you’re paleo, odds are that your total and LDL cholesterol won’t make the cutoff, even though your lipid profile may be far more healthy than a vegan’s due to your high HDL, low triglycerides and favorable LDL particles.

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Haha I wouldn’t even make “Bronze” with my TC of 245 and an LDL of 162. Perhaps I should start a business called Paleo Foods, and make employee discounts based on max deadlift, 5km run times, triglyceride #’s, and BF%. More applicable to health than brutally outdated BMI and TC/LDL.

The Whole Foods near me are a joke to begin with and I go there for just 1 thing….coconut oil.

The two closest to me have no meat on their salad bar, although you can occasionally find an egg….otherwise, if you want protein, it must be tofu. 90% of the store is nothing but packaged foods….true, they are made with “organic” ingredients, but who cares? Packaged products, “organic” or not are highly processed junk! The pre-cooked foods area does have meat, mainly chicken, but it’s always swimming in high carb, sweet sauces and/or is breaded. The meat sections are very small any way too expensive.

About the only good thing is in the summer you can sometimes find some really pretty, locally grown berries. As per their listings, the other fruits and vegetables are usually trucked in….and the local ones are often 1 1/2 – 2 times the cost! I live in North Carolina….we have a lot of agriculture here, much of it “organic” and smallish farms. But prices at the local farmer’s market are much better than at Whole Foods.

I really got a kick out of the part of their promotion touting “whole foods”…..does that mean they are going to stop carrying all the packaged and convenience foods?

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You lost me at f***ing. Honestly, if I were on the receiving end of that letter, I’d probably stop reading after the first swear word. Do you really think that email is going to have any effect? It just sounds arrogant and emotional.

I try to not make decisions or take action (verbally or physically) when I’m angry, because I realize it’s a purely emotional, and transient, action. In the same way, if somebody approaches me angrily and swearing, and waving a big stick (ie: “Look at all the people who read my articles that I’m going to tell that you suck!”), I immediately tune them out. “Ah, they have nothing rational to offer, just emotionally driven attacks. They aren’t worth listening to”.

People, of which a company is made up of, make mistakes based on both emotional appeals and/or lack of knowledge (or ignorance). Ignorance is simply lack of knowledge, stupidity is an inability to learn. With the former, it’s the duty of those who hold more knowledge to educate, not belittle. With the latter, well, there’s little hope.

I was a vegetarian (for health reasons I chuckle to myself now over) for 2 years starting when I was 19. I was simply ignorant to the evidence (as I see it now). I put myself as a person on the receiving end of your email and at the time it most likely would have strengthened my resolve, putting me on the defensive.

Love the blog, Richard, but the emotional reactions are a real turn off. I would have thought that you of all people would appreciate the biting attack of cool reason and evidence.

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I think I have a good bead on what my readers want in terms of being different from all the other blogs that persuade and coddle and so on. And if I do say so, going from 20K visits per months to over 100K in a few short months kinda argues that maybe I know a bit more about what I’m doing that you do…

But that’s not really it.

I’m just being myself. You argue I should pretend to be someone different? Do you think I’m lying, that I really want to be the cool, persuasive guy, but I’m just appealing to a lower common denominator?

We need another paleo blog out there doing roughly the same thing as every other paleo blog out there?

I understand the response to the Whole Foods fiasco, but what about this: Instead of boycotting WF, in fact ENCOURAGE more paleo types to shop there but purchase JUST high fat animal products: meat, butter, cream, etc (that and it would look cool in the check out line, freak out the vegans).

Afterall, if only vegetarians shope there, won’t they think that their propoganda is working?

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Sounds good to me. Wish there was a Whole Foods around here! Of course they keep track of what is sold, like any good company. INCREASE the sale of non-veggie foods and somebody is bound to take notice. Combine that with some sort of letter writing campaign, reasoned, rational and evidenced, and maybe the store that everybody loved just a little while ago, will see the light of reason.

I compare this to protesting. It’s easy to go out and walk up and down the street with an angry sign, but real change takes somehow wedging open a crack and making a difference on the inside.

1) I’d rather shop someplace where the proprietor wasn’t explicitly telling me to go away
2) If everyone else is buying less meat, there’d have to be a ton of paleo people to suddenly start shopping there to make up the difference. We’re a minority, and I think we’d have a *far* larger effect if we boycott their animal products.

My thought exactly and I think this is an excellent idea. Mackey acknowledges the power of markets – he’s a fan of Mises – so what better way to show what products are really important to you and what better way to show how to keep you as a customer.

In addition it’s an opportunity to engage their employees in discussion about why Paleo is much healthier than vegan. You can refer them to Lierre Keith’s excellent book, The Vegetarian Myth. Maybe someone needs to send Mackey a copy!

Well Matt, looks like you’re wrong. As I commented earlier, they picked up my tweet which of course linked to this blog.

It is so amusing how so many out there think they know more about what I ought to be doing than I myself do.

I have personally found rage and vulgar language, _when backed by a solid position_, to be essential to everything I am.

Maybe, rather than spending time trying to school me, you ought to give it a shot, eh? But, as I said, only ever use it when you’re on solid ground.

Hey, here’s something that may surprise you. In 15 years with my wife I have probably only raised my voice or used bad language a very, very few times. So even when I’m right, which of course I always am, I don’t always haul out the f-bombs. :)

And lets not forget – swearing is kinda fun when there is a good reason for it. Its been a long time since I drove a fork lift in a warehouse when I was going to school, but I still like to swear at times. A good swearing rant can be as exhilarating as a good belly laugh.

And if you are not going to swear at stupidity once in a while, when can you? Richard, you do not need anyone’s permission, but I say carry on! This battle needs more than one soldier and more than one tactic.

WTF is wrong with chicken?? Now guys in white coats have to make a “better version”.

“Along with pleasing the senses, Hsieh’s soy chicken provides health benefits for consumers. Soy foods contain important nutrition components, some of which help maintain healthy bones and prevent prostate, breast and colorectal cancers. Soy foods also are a good source of essential fatty acids and contain no cholesterol. The FDA has approved a claim that encourages 25 grams of soy protein in a daily diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol to help reduce cholesterol that is at or above moderately high levels.”

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Your reaction is very much warranted! All around us, vegetarianism is being dogmatically rammed down our throats. So yeah, we meaties get a little irate. Just like the vegetarians are passionate about their WOE, those of us that have had our LIVES saved by going against the grain get sick & tired of being preached just the opposite.

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I don’t get why this is surprising people. Every WF I’ve been in has leaned hard towards the veggie side of things. The nearest WF to me is about 22 miles away, and although they have a somewhat decent meat department it’s a bitch to find grass-fed anything. The only reason I go there–and that’s only when I’m in the neighborhood, which isn’t often–is for their store brand coconut milk and for a brand of olive-free caponata (an eggplant/tomato/onion mix, it’s awesome) that I can only find there. I recently joined a local co-op and am getting awesome grass-fed meats, including pork, and tremendous eggs, and I patronize a local (also leaning hard in veggie’s direction) market for my produce. Fuck WF and their crunchy overpaying yuppie ways.

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Reporting from Austin, TX the birthplace and national HQ of Whole Foods, I can say that I am completely surprised by this campaigned. I don’t know when it began but I certainly didn’t notice anything different when I was in the 80,000 sq. ft. home store last Friday. The nearly 100 ft long meat counter was still packed. Russell, my favorite butcher in town, was still there running the show offering to hack up any animal I’d like just about any way I’d want it. And the guys who run the Texas barbeque station across from the meat counters were still there slicing up fatty briskets and pulling apart smoked pork butts. Their line is always the longest. The food areas were serving up the same beef, pork, chicken and fish they’ve served every time I’ve been in there for the past couple of years. Perhaps all that has changed since last Friday? I think I’ll go check it out for myself today and report back.

I’m not here to defend WF. There are much better natural grocers and farmer’s markets in Austin from which to shop. But I also don’t get the blow up over something that I’d not even noticed prior to today.

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And about John Mackey. I worked at a fine dining restaurant for 5 years in the mid 90’s and Mackey was one of our frequent guests for a couple of those years. We were definitely a meat/fat forward restaurant and the chef’s would only begrudgingly offer a vegetarian option on our daily rotating menu. To the waitstaff, Mackey was known as Wacky Mackey. We hated waiting on him. He was a horrible tipper, not particularly friendly and insisted upon creating his on vegetarian dish which absolutely drove the kitchen crazy. He’s been known as a vegetarian wack job around here for as long as I can remember so not much would surprise me coming from him. But in walking through his flagship store, one might find some propaganda, but with a bit of hypocrisy. My wife is always amazed at the amount of meat (that’s what she said) they sell there. It’s literally stacked 3-4 deep by the cut in rows of 10-12. We asked the meat guys (all of them very eager to discuss meat – all cuts) what they do with the meat they don’t sell. They laughed and said, we will sell every bit of this at least twice on most days and four times on the weekends. I think Wacky Mackey is best ignored.

I noticed the marketing campaign in January just after stocking up at WFM on fish oil, pastured butter and cream (we do 90% of our grocery shopping at farmer’s markets now after years of being very faithful WFM shoppers). The marketing was a sea of books on vegetarian cooking, health benefits of vegetarianism, vegetarian weight loss books, etc. Even though I’d already paid for my items, as soon as I spotted ‘The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook,’ I knew I had to buy it right there, right then, to voice my opinion with my wallet. If he continues to ramp this up, I won’t be shopping there at all.

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But Richard, that response was beyond cussing. It was misogynistic to the maximum. Calling anyone a “pussy” implies that possessors of that particular genitalia is somehow an inferior being. By you doing so you, I presume, just offended half of the human race regardless of what they eat.

That you have made a boodle of coin or that you have a successful website has nothing to do with a display of complete lack of class. Another proof of my maxim that wealth is not correlated to class.

I’ve really enjoyed this blog a LOT. But I think, in true libertarian fashion, I will take some of my info gathering elsewhere. I sure wouldn’t send anyone here, now.

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You’re exactly right, FP. I was just over at the gym for a very smokin’ workout ’cause I’m taking a week off and going to Las Vegas tomorrow with the wife, her parents, sis & bro in law.

Anyway…that was the one aspect of this affair I found a bit amusing. While my response to arlojeremy in the heat of the moment and after a Survivor premier event was what it was, as always, I was also satisfied to trash it after a few hours.

Bt the p-word? C’mon. My wife is a 23+ year 5th grade school teacher, now JH academic counselor, and that stuff cracks her up. Misogyny? Ha!

I suppose it goes with the territory that people somehow think they really know me because they read the stuff on my blog. I can understand that, but the fact is it’s just a facet of who I am.

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I'm Richard Nikoley. Free the Animal began in 2003, and as of 2017, contains over 4,500 posts and 100,000 comments from readers. I cover a lot of ground, blogging what I wish...from health, diet, and lifestyle to philosophy, politics, social issues, and cryptocurrency. I celebrate the audacity and hubris to live by your own exclusive authority and take your own chances in life. [Read more...]

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